Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-03-25
United i'm Two Hours.


delving among the archives Of the
Pennsylvania House OF Representa-.
tives after traces of an old committee
report, came across document which
possesses a romatic interest and re.
calls somewhat exciting incident OF
social life at the State capital in 1865
which never got into print, and was
known to but limited circle at the
time. The document is the original
House bill No. 2, of the Legislative
session of 1856 the introduction
OF which at the first session
at which the House was fully
organized was the first act in the lesis.
lative career OF Matthew S. Quay, now
State Treasurer and United States
Senator elect. TWAS bill to divorce
Mary Wilson Mcconnell from her hus-
band, Henry Floyd Mcconnell. Mrs.
Mcconnell was the young and hand.
some daughter OF the then Gov.
Curtin, and thereby hangs the ro-
nance of this story. Through the ef-
forts OF Mr.. Quay and Senator Lowry,
of the Crawford district, this divorce
bill, without going to committee,
passed both houses of the Legislature
IN less than two hours. This was on
January 10, 1866.
Miss Mary Wilson Curtin had just
budded into her teens when her father
was elected Governor of Pennsylvania,
and was a, schoolgirl when she came
to Harris burg to live at the executive
mansion. She was sprightly, good
natured and had charming manners.
BY the year Of 1865 she had grown to
be one OF the nandsomest and most
entertaining and most sought after Of
all the buds in society here and in
Philadelphia, where she was we'll
known and is still remembered as a.
belle. One evening at an entertain
ment at the Governors mansion she
met young Capt. Henry Lloyd McCon-
nell, dashing officer Of the army, v no
was taken i'll during the recep-
tion and was kindly taken care
OF by the Governors family.
This led to frequent meet
ings between Miss Curtin and young
Mcconnell, who was a fne-looking
fellow, but of no particular social
status, and would not have been lis
tened to by the Governor as a sutton
for the hand OF his daughter. But
Cupid and the Captains shoulder
straps played havoc with the young
lady's heart. The result was that
one afternoon pair of timid lovers
appeared in tbs office of old esquire"
Mclaughlin ana asked to be married.
The young lady was yelled. The
Justice did not dream that she was
the Governors daughter, whom he
knew by sight as one of the pretty
girls OF the town. He readily agreed
to perform the ceremony. His little
nephew, who was present, wit
messed the marriage certificate.
The young lady gave her name
as Miss Mary Wilson Curtin. with a
strong accent upon the last syllable.
The old Squire and his nephew are
both dead, but there is still living
witness to this ceremony in Harris
burg-William Mclaughlin, the JUS
tice's son, who was home from the
war on a furloueh, and happened to
be in the office at the time. capt.
Mcconnell" said Mr. Mclaughlin in
relating the story OF the marriage,
twas g. very handsome fellow; but I
guess that's about all there was in
him."
The Captain walked down the street
to the Executive Mansion and Left his
bride at the. door, going to his
own quarters, presumably to let
the storm blow over. But the storm
never did blow over. The Governor,
as was to have been expected, was
in g. towering rage when he was told
by his daughter what she had DONE
The young lady was hurried off to a
boarding-school and out of reach, and
negotiations were begun with the hus-
band to get him out of the way as
we'll. Gov. Curtin's political power at
that time was greatar probably than
that of any man in the State, and
means were found to induce theyoung
and daring Captain to leave the State
and make no claims upon his wife, who
he was told had repented of her mar
r1age and didn't care to see him any
more. In a few days the Captain left
Harrisburg and was lost sight OF by
his friends here. =, He subsequently be-
came United States Marshal in the
West, where he now lives.
Whether the young bride protested
against the summary way ill., which
she was snatched from her husband q
arms is q matter OF conjecture, but it
was current gossip amons the few who
knew OF the circumstances that tie
irate Governor rad locked his daugh.
ter up in her room in the Executive
Mansion until the Captain was out OF
the way. The marriage was kept
pretty quiet considering the circum.
stances, and, although the story did
leak out in society in q piecemeal sort
Of way, the particulars were never
known, and the papers knew nothing
Of the affair. As soon as the Legisla-
ture rect = divorce bill was presented,
as has been seen, and the marriage
Runulled. Since then Miss Curtin has
married gentleman in every way
worthy Of her, is well known in socie.
ty circles at the national capital and
in New York, and looks back upon
her youthful folly with the phil
osophy which comes With more sobel
years.